The field of the invention generally relates to portable vehicle maintenance ramps and more particularly pertains to an improved new vehicular maintenance ramp utilizing a foldable stair-step design and method for elevating vehicles using said ramp where mechanical lifts are not available for the repair and/or maintenance of vehicles.
A typical prior art vehicle ramp includes a supporting structure or platform for supporting the wheel of a vehicle off the ground and an integral inclined plane connected to the supporting platform whereby the vehicle wheel is driven up onto the supporting structure. In normal use a pair of such ramps are typically employed and the wheels, preferably both front or both rear wheels, of the vehicle are driven up the inclined plane onto the supporting structure or platform.
Typical of such prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,300 wherein an inclined vehicle ramp is disclosed with an upper horizontal surface for supporting a vehicle wheel. Similar ramp designs allow an automotive vehicle to be driven up onto the ramp (one ramp per wheel) thereby elevating the vehicle. Such prior art ramps, however, are not foldable for ease of storage when not in use and thereby present obvious storage problems because of there inherent bulk and/or size.
Accordingly, it may be appreciated that there is a need, particularly in the amateur,xe2x80x9cdo it yourselfxe2x80x9d, automotive repair industry, for a new and improved means to elevate an automotive vehicle thereby providing adequate clearance. underneath the vehicle.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide apparatus and method for elevating a vehicle thereby providing adequate clearance to work under the vehicle. The present invention generally comprises a foldable stair-step ramp having a main, support body including at least two stepped elevations, or courses, and a leading step hinged to said main body thereby creating a stair-step ramp in its open functional configuration.
The stair-step type of construction as disclosed herein, allows the user to select the height to which he elevates the vehicle and provides compact storage of the ramp when it is not in use. Furthermore, the stair step design decreases the possibility of roll-off as the driver can xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d each step of the ramp as it is traversed. The stair step design further prevents ramp shifting inherent with traditional prior art inclined ramps. Finally, the design of the current invention provides greater stability of the vehicle when it is on the ramp.